Bobby Barr The Door

The Neo-Cons has escaped Fort Mudge!

And, unfortunately they have taken command of the "conservative" Republican movement in the US political arena. More than willing to grant imperial and dictatorial powers to the their annointed leader the rank and file of the Neo-Conservative movement gathered in the droves at their annual CPAC event in Washington, D.C.

One of their many guest speakers was Mr. Bob Barr. Most libertarians are familiar with former-Representative Barr, since the Georgia LP helped hand him his walking papers a few years back, much to the chagrin of many people on the right. That defeat, tho was an epiphany for Mr. Barr. It woke him up to the reality that being an ardent supporter of the 2nd Amendment wasn't enough. You have to support them all, with equal ardour, understanding and fortitude. Mr. Barr's awakening to this moved him just a bit closer to the libertarian quadrant of the political spectrum. The neo-Conservatives that make up the rank and file of the Republican right nowadays just cannot seem to stand that and they made it abundantly clear at Mr. Barr's speaking engagement at CPAC.

Mr. Barr, in a debate event with Viet Dinh, (one of the authors of the USAPA, along with the likes of John Kerry), asked some posed some very simple questions. Questions that any libertarian could have easily answered.

"Are we losing our lodestar, which is the Bill of Rights?" Barr beseeched the several hundred conservatives at the Omni Shoreham in Woodley Park. "Are we in danger of putting allegiance to party ahead of allegiance to principle?"

Barr answered in the affirmative. "Do we truly remain a society that believes that . . . every president must abide by the law of this country?" he posed. "I, as a conservative, say yes. I hope you as conservatives say yes."

The responses apparently ranged from semi-polite golf claps to outright booing from the audience.

.....Richard Sorcinelli, booed him loudly. "I can't believe I'm in a conservative hall listening to him say [Bush] is off course trying to defend the United States," Sorcinelli fumed.

And this is the mentallity that pervades the New Right, the Republican marching society that was brought to the Neo-Conservative side by the likes of Rush Limbaugh and the other talking heads. Folks like this have little knowledge or care for the likes of Goldwater, Buckley and other " conservatives. Newt Gingrich is probably too liberal for their tastes and it irks them to no end that someone like Bob Barr, defeated by libertarians asks them the no-brainer questions that they have no answers for.

Mr. Barr's opponent elicited a much more vocal response from the masses gathered to hear the exchange.

Dinh, now a Georgetown law professor, urged the CPAC faithful to carve out a Bush exception to their ideological principle of limited government. "The conservative movement has a healthy skepticism of governmental power, but at times, unfortunately, that healthy skepticism needs to yield," Dinh explained, invoking Osama bin Laden.

Mr. Dinh and his audience show a surprising frame of mind on the subject of liberty and freedom and the Constitutional limits on the power of the Presidency. These people have become fully engaged in the Bush Cult of Personality, where the "Great Leader" can do no wrong and all decisions are correct because of the times in which we live and the decisions which the Leader takes. That is a truly disturbing mindset and has led other countries down paths that ended badly.

Mr. Barr summed it up well for the audience, not that they grasped what he was saying.

"That, folks, was a red herring," he announced. "This debate is very simple: It is a debate about whether or not we will remain a nation subject to and governed by the rule of law or the whim of men."

And there we have it. Mr. Barr, unlike his audience understands that democracy, blind faith and Constitutional ignorance are steps along the path to ruin. Blind faith in the current administration and their policies, along with acceptance of the propaganda surrounding their actions by the New Right are setting a dangerous precident and leading the country in a direction better left untravelled.

Mr. Barr, unlike so many others on his side of the aisle now understands what we Libertarians have been saying for years and he is preaching to his own choir. Unfortunately, their voices will inevitably drown out the wise words of a decent man. Unless there is a new revolution within the ranks of the right, (highly doubtful) there will be a continued soldification of their power and a huge movement away from "conservative" values that they once held for a short time and a full blown jump into the camp of far right extremism. A place that offers no room for dissent and would gladly consolidate power in the hands of an individual.

TGIF- An Evangelical Air Force, Patriot Act Redux , Danes And Moor

Thank the gods it's Friday and Congress will go home for the weekend and be able to do no more damage, until Monday, anyway. Seems as if they have managed to leave us a few parting shots for the week, tho and the day is still young.

An Evangelical Air Force
Now, is it just me or does anyone else find the possibility of a branch of the military being open to Evangelicals, witnessing and conversion to be disturbing? While the military is, and should be a place for individual faith it is not a place for evangelising. The worst part is that Congress has bowed to pressure from Fundamentalist Christians and given them one more victory to embolden them and their agenda. First we saw the death of a reasonably enjoyable television show at the hands of the Evangelical right, the sanitised Superbowl after a pasty was shown on TV and now the Congress has handed the Theocrats a new victory. One more step in the march to an American Theocracy.

The USA PATRIOT Act Gets A Facelift
Unfortunately, it still resembles Tammy Faye Bakker no matter how much you sand down the spackle. While specifics are not available to me at the moment the news reports lend credence to my thought that as usual they've done nothing to let this odious piece of anti-liberty smeg die. Renewal will be a certainty and we still have to see what the Senate does with whatever is sent to them. We know that, regardless of what is sent to Bush's desk, he will sign it. Guess he still needs to practice signing his name, eh? Clue to the Congress, "People, there's a reason that Sunset provisions are placed in legislation. Let it friggin' die!"
I notice that the Democrats are still in favour of allowing the anti-privacy banking elements crafted by John Kerry remain. Personally, I cannot wait for the entire thing to die, but I have no hope that it will ever go away, short of a revolution.

Danes Get Onboard The Train
Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen has now joined the "Call Out Iran and Syria" Train. He isn't wrong, mind you the governments of Syria and Iran are responsible for the riots on their countries and the attacks on Embassies. Unfortunately, some politicians who earlier this week had a different viewpoint...(*cough*...Mr. Bush....*cough*)...have changed their minds about things and are using the issue as a political leveraging point for the further marginalisation of the twin dictatorships of Syria and Iran. The Jyllands-Posten "Mohammed Cartoon" controversy is a win/win for all parties. The Islamic Jihadists get to use it to inflame their forces and the Hawks in the West get to use it to enhance their anti-sovereignty rhetoric. The race is on and there are likely to be no winners in the coming conflict.

Putin's Our Buddy, Right?
That's what we keep hearing, anyway. Russia's a partner in the War On Terror, the USSR is dead and Democracy is on the march in Russia. Pssst, hey buddy? Wanta buy a watch?
Seems as if Mr. Putin is more than willing to embrace the new regime in the Palestinian territories, even when no-one else in the West is willing to do so until they renounce some of their core "principles", like "death to Israel", initiaition of force and terrorism. While this may just be an invitation to talk and attempt to convince Hammas of the error of their ways it leave you wondering. The USSR...err..Russia has not had a solid presence in the Middle East since the 70's and their loss of bases in Egypt. It would not be a great stretch to imagine a renewal of the Soviet Hegemony given Mr. Putin's Stalinesque attitudes and his former station within the KGB. Some things never die unless you've driven a stake through their hearts.

A Steve Kubby Update 2/9/06

Michele Kubby has posted a new update at Kubby.com letting folks know about some changes in attitudes among the people imprisoning him.

As you all know Steve has lost weight while being incarcerated, he has not been able to follow his very strict health diet, nor take any of his life saving medicine. Steve was finally given Marinol as a joke by the medical staff. The staff knew it was a farce and that medical marijuana really did not exist and that traditional medicines can work for Steve and they tried to prove it with this inhumane experiment at the risk of this man.

Well, all of a sudden the tables have turned!

Yes! The Placer County Law Enforcement at the jail is standing utterly amazed! Since the first dose of Marinol, Steve has been experiencing small amounts relief from the benefits of the one cannabinoid in Marinol - THC. The very same people that were mocking and ridiculing Steve and telling him he needed to fess up to the truth and tell everyone that medical marijuana was a farce are calling him "Mr. Kubby." They are beginning to see the error of their ways because Steve has now proven the exact opposite! The Jail has even tried to make his special Tofu Salad diet for him.

Cannabis is Medicine!

Placer County set out to prove Fraud and got the truth instead. Justice is closer [than it ever has been] at this moment.

The medical staff (Dr.'s and Nurses) are telling Steve that they had no idea about the medical efficacy of marijuana and that it could actually help the way it has for him. They are all telling him that he should not be in jail, but rather, out being studied so marijuana cannabinoids can be studied to find out whey they have been working so well for him.

More at Kubby.com. Keep Mr. Kubby in your thoughts and please don't forget to let the Governor of California know where you stand on this. No matter where you live you have an impact.

A Who'da Thunk It Day

Bush Wiretaps Were Legal?
Hmm...maybe not so much, I'm thinking. Looks like the FISA judges were warned, they warned Bush's NSA and Bush about serious "irregularities" and then Mr. Bush and crew went ahead and did as they damned well pleased. As more and more of this story comes out the smell gets riper.

The two judges' discomfort with the NSA spying program was previously known. But this new account reveals the depth of their doubts about its legality and their behind-the-scenes efforts to protect the court from what they considered potentially tainted evidence.

Smells really bad inside the Beltway these days.

Torture? What Torture?
I guess there's really no need for any investigation into allegations of torture by America and it seems that the "fine gentlemen" of the House International Relations Committee agree. Especially, Henry Hyde.

Bush Changes Tune On Protests
With new marching orders from within the White House Dubya and Condi have changed their tune and rhetoric concerning the Jyllands-Posten "Mohammed Cartoon" controversy. Seeing a chance to hammer Iran and Syria for their state sponsored and sanctioned protests new orders have been issued by someone. As we watch the lead up to a probable future conflict with Iran, events such as this will come more frequently and be taken by the administration. How often do you get a chance to change your mind in this WHite House? (PS: Dear Muslims...we have a depiction of Mohammed on the frieze of our Supreme Court building, just thought you should know...now, back to your rioting! Have a nice day!).

Paleontologists Dig Up Thurmond.
Finding a new form of statist to collect taxes is tough in an election year. Best to find an old dinosaur to go with the current batch in Congress.

No Glass Ceiling For Teen Girls
Despite the failure of government sponsored indoctrination programs in the government school system it seem that more teen girls are using drugs and smoking more than their male counterparts.
Depsite all the pograms...err...programs, to indoctrinate kids we see teen girls playing catchup with the guys, even while drug usage numbers are dropping. So what will the Nanny Staters suggest for this one? More self-esteem classes? Visits from NOW? Here's mine, if it's a self esteem issue.

Are You A Good Citizen Or A Bad Citizen?
As if we needed yet another test to tell us what we are are should be. I took it and as if I didn't already know it....I'm a bad citizen.

Breeding For Dollars

Breeding For Dollars

Or Euros, as the case may be. That's the case in Germany now as a debate brews up about the ageing citizenry, declining population and the stark realisation that there aren't going to be anywhere near enough taxpayers around to support their out of control welfare system.

The German government is seriously considering tax incentives to have more children and expanded childcare benefits and subsidies for breeding. In a country already suffering from a lack of economic growth and booming deficits they are facing a governmental economic disaster of monumental proportions. And, to quote Martha...."That's a good thing". Sometimes it takes a serious blow to wake someone up to the fact that the time to correct themselves is now.

Germany, much like the USA refuses to accept the reality that the welfare system, deficit spending and over taxation not only does not work it is always a sure fire recipe for disaster. With their Brobdignagian welfare state and cradle to grave Nanny State interference in every facet of daily life they are left with few options. The obvious and logical thing to do would be to start cutting spending until they develop a sense of fiscal responsibility. Disassembling the massive machine of government and eliminating the welfare state over a good period of time would be ideal. Attempting to breed more taxpayers is appalling, unethical and tantamount to breeding slaves. Of course in a country that is already engaging in wealth redistribution and taxation on the scale of Germany it is almost inevitable that breeding for Euros should be the first thing to come to the minds of their politicians. It's a lot easier to propose creating new peons and serfs than it is to start thinking about cutting spending and downsizing the machinery of government, it seems.

Apparently, the new "Mutterkreuz" for Deutschland will come in the form of tax breaks, subsidies and enslavement of their unborn children to the elderly and unemployable in the German Welfare State. State sponsored breeding programs are frightening on so many levels and obscene on all. How to explain to a child that they were brought into the world so they could work to support the state, its welfare system and its participants. This is a truly frightening endgame for the political system.

I can only hope that the American political machine pays as little attention to what goes on in Germany as they do for what goes on in the USA. I like the idea of a reasonably sized family and abhor the idea of perpetual enslavement for my children and grandchildren. Let's just keep this between ourselves and not tell anyone in government, OK? I'm already sorry about the debt that has been dropped on the shoulders of my kids...how do I explain a government enslaving them so they can support the elderly, unemployed and indigent, despite all the talk about reigning in our own Welfare State?

I have to wonder if there is a Libertarian Movement in Germany. It seems they need it as much as we do.

Overdue At The Box Office

Via Montag, (my nearly twin brother, whom I have never met) comes notice of the SuperBowl Trailer for the long overdue and much needed movie "V For Vendetta". If ever there was a movie that people and politicians needed to see this is it. This movie should do for people what Mad Mel's "Passion" did for his viewers. If there's a fire that needs lighting it's the type of fire shown here.

"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."

Gubmint Sugar

We've known it for years, I have said it for years, other libertarians have said it for decades and now the press is waking up to it. Government hates business and they certainly hate any business that uses sugar. As many of my friends and readers may know I am a fan of Root Beer and Sodas, especially those that use pure cane sugar. I also love chocolate, as do most humans whom I know. Now we have a story in the news about the government and their sugar subsidies driving American chocolatiers offshore and out of business.

The government already did this to a number of soda companies and, along with their HFCS and corn subsidies have ruined those that remain. Those of us who are old enough remember what a real soda tasted like, that sugary sweetness and the caramel taste that can only come from sugar. Now we see that the artificial pricing of sugars is taking a toll on the American candy industry. Businesses that once employed numbers of Americans are being driven to China, Mexico and other countries rather than staying here. It's a simple matter of economics for these companies. And the government is doing everything in its power to drive them away and stifle the continuing growth of sugar based industries.

Of course they are doing all they can to insure that High Fructose Corn Syrup stays in vogue. The media continues to harp on America suffering from an obesity problem. While the science may not be there yet I will go right out on a limb and state, for the record that HFCS is a prime culprit in any obesity problem that might exist. Sugar isn't in everything on the market, but government subsidised HFCS sure as hell is. It is past time to put an end to ALL farm subsidies. They are bad for farmers, business and America and the sooner politicians realise this the sooner we can get back to having a healthy economy.

I'd like my chocolate, Root Beer and Sodas with sugar please and hold the government.

Apocalypse When?

What do you get when you mix an Apocalyptic, Islamic fundamentalist political leader with a Manichaean heretic, Christian Fundamentalist, Rapture loving political leader? I’m not sure either but it smells an awful lot like a recipe for global conflict on a scale hitherto unknown to man. Unfortunately, this isn’t a hypothetical or trick question and the two men in question are Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and US President George W. Bush.

While we were made aware of President Bush’s heretical and apocalyptic leanings by Costa Rican theologian Rev. Juan Stam a few years ago it wasn’t until recently that we were made aware of the Islamic “End Times” mentality of the President of Iran. Arnaud de Borchgrave, Editor-At-Large for the Washington Times and others have published accounts pointing out Mr. Ahmadinejad’s relationship with the Hojjatieh Society, an anti-Bahá’i, apocalyptic sect of Shia. While there is no solid proof, like a confession of his association with the banned sect his language is apparently part and parcel of their philosophy, much as Mr. Bush’s is that of the Dominionist and Revelationist sects of Fundamentalist Christianity.

Getting two such people together in a situation where they are given a chance to butt heads is a sure fire way to bring about global chaos. Each of these men sees only in black and white. Things are either good or evil, there are no shades of gray, as we have seen. In the realm of politics this attitude is suicidal at best, when it involves the military it is murderous for all concerned. One thing we may be certain of is that there are forces in both the US, Europe and Iran who are working towards the instigation of a regional and global conflict. Both parties will see things in black and white, good or evil and the men women and children on the ground will suffer for the misguided dogma of their “leaders”.

Given all the recent events concerning Iran and its quest to join the international nuclear weapons club, it can come as no surprise to anyone paying attention that we are in an accelerating lead up to yet another conflict in the Middle East. All of the rhetoric is in place. The players, like Mr. Borchgrave, the US Senate and the State Department and all the rest are all gearing up their information seeding machines to prepare Americans for the almost inevitable conflict. The Congress has already gifted the President with a blank check to pursue “terrorism”, its supporters and Weapons of Mass Destruction. Iran, unlike Saddam Hussein is quite open about having a nuclear program. What is not clear is whether it is for weapons or power. Not that it matters, any longer. The global powers that be are busy making sure that everyone believes that Iran is pursuing nuclear weaponry. Facts one way or another are irrelevant.

Even if the current regime in Washington chooses to follow the lead of the international community, which seems all too unlikely given the current rhetoric ,it will be the US military, as usual that bears the brunt of any conflict. The cost in dollars, flesh, blood, lives and limb will be too high for our country to bear. It is a cost we should not have to bear, not to support the apocalyptic dogma of two men and their cohorts wishing for Armageddon. Look to the reactions of Iran and its leadership over the Jyllands-Posten cartoons for a small taste of what will come should the US and its "allies" enact sanctions.

Their individual dogmas may very well bring about their most fervent wishes. Disaster.

Winding Up For The Pitch...

I can't think of anyone whom I know that is not thoroughly convinced that the US is not so secretly preparing for a conflict with Iran. The rhetoric leading up to the coming future conflict is there from all of the usual political, media and pundit sources. Pieces are being moved around the global chess board and assets are being acquired to prosecute the coming strike. All in the name of the War on Terror.

The pieces of the puzzle are there to be seen by anyone looking. As with our current conflict in Iraq, the Bush administration is bowing to the international community, in the form of the IAEA and letting them set up the board. Iran, asserting their sovereignty has refused to go along with the pressure from the outside world and not only refused to play ball, but has sent the other team home.

The Bush administration, meanwhile is opening a new base in Romania, a country that really wants another occupying force, (after hundreds of years of this the Romanians seemingly cannot embrace life without absentee landlords). A US military presence in Romania is a regional strategic wetdream for a nation that might aspire to advance an imperial agenda. Or fight a War on Terror.

In a more Machiavellian move the US wants to not only deny nuclear materials to other nations who would develop them, it wishes to team up with the USSR....sorry, I meant Russia....to manufacture and sell nuclear fuel to countries who wish to pursue nuclear materials for energy purposes. Wow! Talk about a retreat from capitalism! Deny energy by force of arms and then force someone to buy your product. Hello?? Don't anyone tell the Soda companies about this or we'll have Cola Wars on our hands.

The situation in Iraq is, despite propaganda to the contrary, unstable. With insurgents coming in from Iran and Syria it makes "sense" to open a new front in Iran to draw the destabilising forces away from Iraq...or so conventional "wisdom" would have it. A forward base in Romania would be ideal for air strikes, considering Turkey's reticence to involve itself in our affairs in the Middle East.

Combine all of these ingredients with a liberal dose of rallying the international troops and Sunday Morning punditry and you have a new recipe for expanding the game. And what comes next? Hell if know, but I certainly don't want any part of it.

Blogging From Jail and an Update

I posted a comment at another blog this past weekend about the reasons for Steve Kubby's withdrawal of his request to use medical marijuana during his incarceration. My contention was, and still is that Mr. Kubby did what he did to gain some small gesture of mercy from the "authorities". Michele Kubby has released a statement at Kubby.com and a new Steve Kubby blog, (from jail no less!) and my thoughts on the matter have been confirmed. Steve Kubby is doing what he must in order to remain alive while they have him imprisoned, not necessarily because the medicines he is being given are having an optimal effect. The War on Drugs has yet another medical marijuana victim in its clutches and the powers that be are simply waiting to take the decision as to whether they will create a martyr or do the right thing. I have no faith in their mercy.

Steve is suffering the consequences of this governmental policy. Because he is at their mercy in jail, he has decided not to fight, but rather to give in to the path of least resistance placed before him. He has decided to allow Placer to experiment on him with Marinol and Lisinopril.

I can understand his decision. He is helpless in their care. He is also sick and tired of seeing our family suffer because of his marijuana use. Since he uses such copious amounts of cannabis, our family is virtually a prisoner in our home. We cannot travel due to the illegality, social stigma and stink of cannabis. Worse of all, we are threatened with our children being removed from us.

Frankly, we are beyond frustration. Steves only wish is to live with us in peace, but so long as he has to produce and use so much marijuana our family is at constant risk. The government believes that marijuana people are not supposed to exist, reproduce, or pretend to be anything but losers, criminals and the dregs of society. At some point you bend to this pressure.

Now that Steve is under Placer's control, they are doing what we predicted they would do: they are experimenting on Steve to prove that marijuana is a hoax and a fraud. They are more than willing to put the delicate balance his body has achieved after 30 years into serious jeopardy just to prove that people receive no benefit from cannabis.

Steve has been on Marinol for a week and lisinopril for four days. Yes, this combination has brought down his blood pressure, but we do not know the long term effects. Before Steve was a politician, he was a scientist and took the scientific process seriously. In the 10 years I have lived with him, he has always been extremely cautious with his body and approached any new therapy from a scientific point of view. Any new food or supplement he tried, he collected evidence and waited to see what the long term effects would be on his health before he ever made a ringing endorsement.

Now, his is being thrown into an experiment, not of his choice, and he is gleefully extolling the benefits of Marinol before adequately seeing what the long term effects are. This is not normal for him, but is he himself
after being thrown into such a stressful situation? We do not know if Marinol will control the growth of his tumors, but we do know from studies by Guzman of Spain that cannabis will definitely control the growth of his tumors. Of course, Steve is under tremendous physical stress. He has been taken off of his medicine of choice as well as denied the special diet he needs to keep his body in balance. Jail does funny things to the mind as well. To be caged like an animal, especially so unjustly eats away at the soul. But Steve is willing put his health and life in jeopardy just to keep his family safe.

What a choice to force on a human. It is a blatant abuse of human rights.

At their mercy and being used as a lab rat no less, to further their anti-medical marijuana agenda. Here's the gist, folks. Medical Marijuana is a LEGAL prescription drug in the Republic of California. As such, any prescription for it should be honoured by anyone required to render medical aid to a patient in their "care". That applies to jails and prisons, too. The Republic of California and the "civil servants" in law enforcement are failing to obey the laws of their state, and are instead following a federal outlook, mandate and agenda. They are in direct violation of their oaths of office. These people are not Federalised Law Enforcers. They are minions of the Republic of California and their local municipalities.

Using Mr. Kubby in such a manner is unethical, immoral and possibly illegal. That they are being allowed to apply multiple layers of law in order to make an example of Mr. Kubby is horrendous and unacceptable. As I have stated before, please write a letter to the Governor of California and let him know what is going on. Even if you are not a resident of the Republic you DO have an impact. California's economy relies on outsiders. We DO make a difference.

And, for the sake oc what's right, let's try and get Mr. Kubby back at the forefront of the Libertarian Blogosphere by rejoining the KKK. Let's bump the Jyllands-Posten and Superbowl blogging down in favour of something closer to home.


Kubby Links: Progress.org has an op/ed on Mr. Kubby

"If You Listen To Fools..."

"...The Mob Rules." So goes the lyric from Black Sabbath's classic album, "Mob Rules". Truer words were never sung as we can see across the Middle East and Europe this weekend. The master manipulators in the mosques, the press and government have stoked the fires and fanned the flames of the Muslim mobs and the result has been continual riots, arson and calls for bloody murder at the hands of the righteous. This is why our Founding Fathers feared and abhorred the concepts of theocracy and democracy. They all invariably lead to mobacracy at the drop of a hat, or the publishing of a cartoon.

Europe has already been beset by Muslim radicalism. Look to France, Denmark, Holland and the other countries of the E.U. for the inevitable results of political and religious pandering and the effects of democracy. In this most recent upset the spark was the publication of the cartoons in the Danish press in September. Danish rabble rousers in the mosques actually had to go abroad to garner any support for their fundamentalist agenda and to gain any reaction. Apparently, they cannot get the requisite number of folks together for a good protest-cum-riot in Denmark. The folks in Gaza, Damascus and other sites, tho..well, that's what happens when you haven't got access to quality entertainment, cable, satellite or bars. When tea/coffee shops, Arabic Talk Radio and the mosques are your sole entertainment well, you can understand why a riot about someone other than your dictators is inevitable and sanctioned.


In Damascus the Embassies of Denmark and Norway were set alight and little was done to stop it. I find it hard to imagine that a dictator cannot quell a mob if he is determined to do so, huh? And the continuous broadcasting of Islamic Fundamentalist Poster child President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran certainly doesn't aid in soothing the mobs anger over nothing.

This is all about the Mohammed cartoons originally posted in Denmarks Jyllands-Posten, as you can see. Look. They aren't particularly offensive. When certain outlets in Europe and North America published Photoshopped pictures and cartoons of the Pope Benedict we were not presented with Catholic rioting. Jews haven't taken to the streets for insane comments from American Pope Idol Pat Robertson. Perhaps tolerance isn't such a bad thing after all.




The Middle East is currently going through what could be called a 2nd cultural childhood, heading for a new middle age or adulthood. What we are seeing right now is a cultural and regional teen angst. Some folks, notable the "rural cousins" of Islam are having some growing pains and have fallen in with bad company. Those Muslims who are more urbane and modern in their outlook and education aren't taking to the streets to commit acts of violence against people and property and, by and large do not fall for the snake oil salesmen in the mosques.

We certainly aren't seeing this behaviour here in the US. Probably because printing the pictures as a symbol of freedom of the press and free speech would be a foreign concept to our politically correct media. Bravery and fortitude are not watchwords for our guys and girls in the press room trenches.

The rhetoric is the same from all quarters here, Islamic, Christian, Media and Political. Pander to the lowest common denominator, placate the population at large and inflame where necessary as a release. All the poor people in the mobs know is that it's fun to run in a crowd and act up when the powers that be say to. And look at all the pretty cameras. "Hey, Ahmad! Look, I'm on TV!"

If, or when the mobs discover the blogosphere many of us are going to be in trouble considering that we have posted these many more times than the European media. I can't help but wonder what the reaction will be. An Internet Jihad? Cutting off offending keyboards, (brings a whole new meaning to hacking, huh?)? Perhaps burning down internet cafes and Starbucks?

This is what it all boils down to. Mob metallity, some rather inoffensive caricatures and the gullibility of the Masses when the "leaders" get together. Snake oil is an easy sell to the uneducated and bored. Individuality is a good thing. Perhaps it's time to strike while the flags are hot.